Container for railroad-signals.



G. SELBY. CONTAINER FOR RAILROAD SIGNALS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18. I914.

Patent-ed Dec. 7,11915.

M/IIKI GRANT SELIBY, OF FLETCHER, OKLAHOMA.

CONTAINER FOR nnirnoen-siunans.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7,1215.

Application filed September 18, 1914. Serial No. 862,348.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRANT SELBY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Fletcher, Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Containers for Railroad-Signals, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in containers for railroad signals and the object of my invention is to construct a sim ple compact and practical container for a flag, railroad torpedoes, and railroad fusees or other signal devices to be used by railroad brakemen, flagmen, etc.; the flag, torpedoes and fusees being contained in separate, semi- Waterproof compartments so as not to come in contact with each other.

A. further object is to so design a contamer that it can be used for the handle of the flag which it is used to carry-the flag and con tainer being non-detachable. At present, to the applicants knowledge, the methods in vogue by brakemen for carrying signals are inadequate in that they are bulky, and 111- convenient and fail in their purpose to such an extent that the brakemen refuse or fail to carry the signals and hence ofier little protection in avoiding accidents, etc. The container of applicant is constructed so as to make it possible to carry all the signals, 1ncluding the flag, in a minimum of space and with as little inconvenience as possible.

With the above purposes in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1. shows a longitudinal sectional elevation of my container; the flag being shown in its normal position. Fig. 2. shows an enlarged cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 3. shows a left end elevation of the device. Fig. 4. shows a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation with the flag extended; the torpedo compartment and door therefor being shown in elevation.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 5 designates a metallic cylinder to which is firmly secured at the portions 6 and 7 the metal container 8 which is divided into two compartments 9 and 10 by the partition 11 which is securely held in posi tion by tacks such as 12. In the cylinder 5 s positioned a plunger or piston 13, in sliding contact with the inner wall of cylinder 5; 14 indicates a felt packing preventing tened the ring 17. Tothe rod 15, is firmlysecured the flag 18, which in Fig. 1 is shown furled :and in Fig. 4,unfurled.

The right hand end of my container is sealed by the cap 19. Compartment 10 is to be used for torpedoes, it having a sui'ficient displacement to permit of placing six or eight modern railroad torpedoes therein. An entrance to this compartment is formed by a rectangular opening 20 which is covered by the door 21 which is hinged to the body of compartment 10 by a conventional hinge 22. This door is looked through the spring engagement of coil 23 with catch 24:; this coil and catch being of the conventional type.

Entrance to compartment 9 is gained through the opening gate 25, which is hinged at 26 to the remaining half 27. This gate is locked to the body of the compartment by means of the pin and perforated spring 28 and 29. The perforated spring is secured to the gate 25 by means of the rivets 30. Conipartment 9 is used for fusees and its volume is suflicient to accommodate three standard railroad fusees; 31 indicates an aperture connecting compartment 10 with the end of cylinder 5. This is an air escape. The use and method of using these two compartments 9 and 10 is obvious.

32 indicates a strap made adjustable by the buckle 33, the strap being secured to the container by means of the rivets 36 and 37. Rivet 37 has a large head 38 extending inwardly from the inner wall of the cylinder 5.

When my flag is to be used, it is withdrawn from the cylinder 5 by grasping the ring 17 and exerting a tension in the longitudinal direction of the axis of the container thereby pulling the plunger 13, the rod 15, and the flag out of their container until the shoulder 39 engages the rivet head 38. The entire flag is now outside the casing and ready to be unfurled as shown in Fig. 4.

It is to be noted that the rivet head 38 prevents the flag, rod and plunger from being detached from its container, and the friction between the packing 14 and the inner wall of the cylinder 5 prevents the flag from falling back into the cylinder by virtue of its own Weight. When the flag is so extended, the entire container forms its handle. The strap 32 is used to make the container more conveniently portable in that the container may be carried on the back of the brakeman etc.

By my arrangement, a simple compact,

container for signals is obtained, the container itself performing the function of the handle of the flag for Which the container itself forms a housing.

.What'I claim is In a combination With a cylindrical tube, an open seam tube substantially arc shaped in cross-section and having its seam margins secured to the cylindrical tube, a transverse partition shaped to fit Within the open seam tube and having a notch to receive the cylindrical tube between the seam margins of the open seam tube, a closure, common to both tubes, at one end of the device, means for gaining access to the interior of the open seam tube between said partition and said closure at its end and separate and distinct means for gaining access to the open scam tube on the opposite side of the said partition.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GRANT SELBY.

Witnesses:

Miss M. S'rocimn, J. A. NOLAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of atents.

' Washington, D. G. 

